Painted On My Heart
by MoonbeamRose
Summary: Just a short story that I did about Tahiri Veila from Star Wars.
1. Chapter 1

Tahiri Veila walked down the crowded halls of the Jedi Temple and sighed as she turned a corner. She was on her way to go and see Master Skywalker. She didn't know what he wanted with her this time. She knew that her training had been slipping as of late as she wasn't really paying much attention to what the other Masters had to tell her. All they kept doing was repeating the same thing but in different voices and languages. She was tired of being told that she needed to learn how to control her anger and quit being so rash. She was tired of listening to them. They hadn't been the ones to survive the shapers of the Yuuzhan Vong. They hadn't had their memories altered so that in fact they thought that they were Riina. She sighed and shook her head as she reached Master Skywalker's office. She tapped at the door still forcing back the memories and her anger at them. The door opened and she entered. The room was pretty much bare minus the desk that took up most of the room. In front of the desk were two plush chairs, Master Skywalker motioned for her to sit down. She walked up to a chair and did as she was ordered to then looked at him. "You called for me Master Skywalker?" She said softly as she brushed back her hair from her face. Her fingers brushing the scars where the worse of the implants had been.

He nodded, as he looked at her his hand resting on the top of his desk. "Tahiri, I've been told that you are not paying attention to the masters that I've placed you with. Why is that?" He asked as he watched her with his piercing blue eyes. When she didn't answer he smiled softly at he. "Tahiri, I know that you have been through a really rough time, but please you must let us help you. We are your friends. There is no one here who would hurt you." He said calmly as he watched her from the other side of the desk.

She took a deep breath then let it out. This was going to be harder than she though. She originally was going to come here and really let him have it, but now he called himself her friend. She didn't have friends. No one really ever wanted to be friends with her. "Master Skywalker, I thank you for your never ending support after everything that has happened to me, but I must ask that you respect my wishes to no longer be told that I am too rash. I will not change the way I am. The way that I was raised." She smiled softly at him as she stood and looked at him from her side of the desk. "Master Skywalker, I thank you for everything that you have taught me here. I thank you for so much but I'm sorry if I'm not listening to the other masters. They haven't lived through what I have. I'm not saying that my wounds are worse than theirs but I'm saying that they can not expect me to really understand them, just like I can't expect them to understand me."

Luke nodded once and smiled. "Very good Tahiri, you have learned everything I've been asking the other masters to teach you." He smiled brightly as he stood up and walked around the desk towards her.

She shook her head as she watched him. "What do you mean Master?" She asked as she turned to face him.

He smiled as her again as he reached her side and took her hands in his. "My dear Tahiri, I have been testing you this whole time to see if you could handle what others might think of you now that you've finally seemed to be handling your problems."

She looked at him in shock. "Testing me? For what?" She asked as she pulled away from him. She didn't know what to think of this news. She was shocked that he would act in such a way towards her. Then she wondered why she was so shocked in the first place.

"I've been watching you and trying to see if you were ready for the next step in your training Tahiri." He said as he walked back to his seat and sat down. He nodded as he looked at a datapad then smiled up at her. "You're free to go now. I'll send you your new schedule later in the day."

She shook her head as she turned and left the room. Once outside she headed towards her quarters her mind still racing with the news that she'd just been given. "New training? Tests? What was he going on about?" She said to no one at all as she walked down the quiet halls. She reached her room and sighed as she entered the small area. She looked at her desk and noticed that the mail had been dropped off. Walking over to it she picked up the holo cube that was sitting on the desk and looked it over. On it was a mark shaped like a small blaster. The mark was to let her know who had sent the cube. She smiled softly as she looked for the activation switch. "Shada, you cutie. I love you so much thank the force that you are one of my few friends." She said as she found the switch and activated the holo.

The holo showed Shada sitting down at what looked to be her desk smiling brightly as she waved at someone who was off screen. "Hey sweetness, what's up with you? I hope that my uncle is treating you all right. Don't worry yourself out too much though okay? I've talked with Jai and she said that she would gladly send for you to come and join us all here on the Heart." Shada smiled again as she pulled at someone who was off screen to come in front of the recorder. "Hey look who I found." She said as the young man that she'd been pulling walked into view. He was tall with short brown hair that fell to just above his ears. His blue eyes shined brightly as he smiled at the recorder. "Say hi Anakin." Shada scolded him.

Anakin Solo waved merrily. "Who am I saying hi to?" He asked in his usual merry voice.

Shada shook her head and replied. "Little brothers. So anyways Tahiri." She smiled as she said her name and watched her brother's expression change to one of pure joy. "I'm sorry Anakin is being such a brat. So what was I saying before he interrupted us? Oh yeah I was telling you that Jai would really like it if you came to the Heart and stayed with us all." She smiled softly as she held her hands together and pleaded with her friend. "Please, sweetness, please for me. Come and join us." The holo cut off then leaving Tahiri with only a quick glimpse of Anakin and Shada both begging her to come join them.

A few days later she stood at the foot of the shuttle that was going to take her up to the Super Star Destroyer Smuggler's Heart. She looked back at Master Skywalker and his wife. Both of who had come down with her to see her off. She smiled as she headed for the landing ramp. "Don't worry about me so much Master." She said to Luke. "I'll be alright. I'll be with your family. What harm can I possibly get into up there with them." She smiled again.

"That's what worries me at times." Luke joked back with her as she walked up and into the shuttle the landing ramp rising behind her and powering up to take off.

"She'll be fine my love." Mara Jade Skywalker said as she placed a hand around his waist. "You worry too much you know that?" She teased him. He smiled back as the shuttle took off drowning out anything that he could have said to her.


	2. Chapter 2

On board the shuttle Dreaming Knight Tahiri sighed as she walked into her little quarters. They were smaller than the ones that she'd had at the academy. She shook her head as she went to the sleeping mat and sat down. She shut her eyes as she crossed her legs on the mat and let out a slow breath. She reached out to the force to try and calm herself. Master Skywalker wasn't too happy about her leaving the academy for the Smuggler's Heart but he didn't tell her to stay either. She knew that he wouldn't be happy until she'd finished her training, but how was she to do that when she couldn't even keep her mind on it? She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. She repeated this step six more times. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. She let go of her concentration and shook her head. "Why do I even bother?" She asked as she stood up leaving her bag behind she headed out the door, shutting it tightly behind her.

She walked down the passageways just looking around the shuttle. She walked into the lounge and went to sit at a free table. She looked around the room a bit and wondered what the Heart would be like. She'd heard rumors that it was a giant super star destroyer. Other rumors said that is was a base on some distant planet that only the Solo family and their dearest friends new of, yet others still said that it was a code name for an asteroid that the empire had dug into to hide their Bounty Hunters. Whatever the case, and whatever it was, she was heading right for it now. It would be her new home. Funny thing about "homes" She thought. I always find a new one even if the old one isn't't that bad. I'm always running from something. She smiled sadly as she looked at the man who had just walked into the lounge.

He was six-two with long reddish-brown hair that was pulled back. He was dressed in a pair of baggy black pants and a plain white muscle shirt with what appeared to be a dark blue silk shirt over it. She watched as he stopped and raised the sunglasses that he was wearing and looked around the room. She made sure that by the time his eyes reached her, she wasn't looking in his direction anymore. She looked at the table in front of her and started thinking about what life on the Heart would be like. She was so deep in her thoughts that she'd failed to notice that the man had walked up and asked her something.

"Are you being rude on purpose or are you deaf?" He asked as he waved a hand in front of her face.

She jumped and looked up at him. "Oh I'm sorry but I didn't hear you. What did you say?" She said in a soft voice. She wasn't really sure about how to act around this stranger, so she just tried to be as polite as she could.

"I asked if this seat was taken?" He said.

She shook her head. "No." She said and watched as he smiled and sat down. She looked around the room there was another empty table. She wondered why he hadn't sat there.

"So, where are you headed?" He asked as he leaned his back against the wall, stretching his legs out on the rest of the bench. He looked at her and smiled again.

She smiled back as she answered. "I'm heading to see some friends."

"Oh that's cool. What planet are you getting off on?" He asked still smiling at her.

What's up with the smile? She thought as she replied. "I'm not going planet side. I'm on for the long haul to the Smuggler's Heart." She looked at him then looked back at the table.

He smiled again as he tapped his fingers on the tabletop. "Hey what do you know so am I." He laughed softly as he watched her. "So what's your name?" He asked.

She looked up at him. "Tahiri." She said then looked away again.

"Tahiri…nice name. Is that all?" He watched her carefully.

She brushed strand of her long blonde hair out of her face as she sighed. "Veila. That's my last name. Tahiri Veila." She said as her fingers ran over the still healing scars on her forehead. She bit her lip to keep from making any sound as the pain shot through her. Looking up she noticed that he was watching her intently. "Can I help you?" She snapped, not meaning to be so rude.

He looked at her, not even phased by the anger in her voice. "I was just wondering if you were okay?" Then he smiled softly and extended his hand. "Name's Homicide. I'm heading for the Heart too." He looked at her and waited for her to shake his hand.

Not trying to be rude anymore than she already was she took the hand in her own and shook it. "Nice to meet you. Sorry about me snapping like that. It's just that…"

Homicide held up a hand. "Don't mention it. I bet you get a lot of people looking at you strangely. I would snap too if I had those marks." He shook his head slowly. "Their really nasty looking. Mind if I ask how you got them?"

She shook her head slowly, not really sure if she really wanted to talk about it with a total stranger. "I guess not." She said slowly then sighed. "Well I'm sure you know about the war between the Galactic Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong right?" When he nodded she continued. "Well I was on one of the planets the got attacked and taken over by them. I got caught and taken captive. While in their care I was taken before what they called Shapers. They implanted me with their coral growths. I was saved after they royally messed me up. Thankfully the Medics were able to get the stuff out of my skin, but they left behind these nasty scars." She said touching them lightly so as not to make them hurt.

He nodded when she'd finished speaking and sighed softly. "Sorry to hear that. What planet did you say this happened on again?"

She looked at him for a second. "I didn't say." She replied then looked away.

The two of them sat there for a while, neither saying anything as they left each other to their own thoughts. After a while Homicide started to laugh. Tahiri looked back at him wondering what was so funny. "Are you alright?" She asked.

He nodded as he smiled at her. "Sorry, it's just that I was thinking about something." He sighed as he reached into a pocket and pulled out a picture and looked at it. He looked at her then showed it to her.

In the photo there were two girls who stood the same height with the same smile. They both had long hair, one silver while the other had black. One had fiery blue eyes while the other had fiery purple ones. The one with the silver hair was holding on to a tall man. It took her a moment to notice that the man was Homicide. Both of them were dressed identical, slightly baggy black pants, white under shirts, a dark blue over shirt, Homicide was wearing sunglasses. The other girl was holding on to a man who looked to only be a few inches taller than she was. She was dressed in all black from top to bottom. She was looking up at the other man who had long reddish-brown hair too that was tied back as well. His fiery brown eyes shined as he looked at the girl next to him. He was dressed like Homicide in baggy black pants and a white shirt but he had a deep purple over shirt on.

She looked up at him. "You're family?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, they're my twins. The girl with the silver hair is my sister Tai. The other girl is Beauty. The man next to her is Fury. I'm heading to meet up with them on the Heart too."

She smiled back as she handed him the photo back. "It must be nice to have a family." She said. She looked around the room and noticed that it had emptied out quite a bit. She sighed a bit and rubbed her eyes. She was tired and could do with some sleep.

He noticed how tired she looked and smiled. "Yeah it's nice when everyone gets along at least. Hey it's late why don't you get some sleep. When I came aboard the captain said that it would take three standard days to get to the Heart." He said as he stood up and offered her a hand up.

She took it and smiled. "Thanks. I guess I could use some sleep"

He nodded. "Yeah so could I. I guess I'll see you in the morning then." He smiled as he turned and walked off down the opposite hallway.

She sighed as she headed to her room, once inside she shut the door tightly and locked it. She even went so far as to place the small chair that was sitting at the desk in front of the door and placed her bag on it. Should anyone try to get in she'd know and be ready for them. Walking over to the sleeping mat she lay down and was quickly asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

She woke the next morning to the sounds of fighting in the hall just outside the door to her sleeping quarters. Getting up she went to the door and opened it trying to find out what was going on. She walked out to find an older gentleman standing by her room screaming at a younger one. "She's one of them. She's going to kill us all. We should kill her first. Get out of my way here she comes."

The younger man turned and it was Homicide. "Tahiri, get back into your room where it's safe." He said as he pushed the older man back a bit. The other man wasn't going to be held back any longer and drew his blaster, pointing it at her chest. Tahiri watched as he pulled the trigger. Homicide heard the shot go off but couldn't do any more than hit the older man in the face knocking him out as the shot sped for Tahiri.

She held her hand at her waist palm facing the floor as she waited then moved her hand off to the side. The shot followed her hand movement and hit the wall causing no harm to anyone. She smiled a bit as Homicide looked at her in surprise. "You're a Jedi? Or are you Sith?" He asked. She shook her head not answering his question in front of anyone who was standing in the hallway. She looked down at the man at Homicide's feet and sighed as she turned and headed back into her room. Homicide followed her, leaving the man outside for his buddies to pick up. "So what are you?" He asked as he leaned against the little desk that she had in the room.

"I'm a Jedi knight. I've been training at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy." She smiled softly at him as she moved around the small room. "I want to become a Jedi Master one day, but I don't think that I am good enough to do so. I'm not like the other students who can control their feelings. I'm kind of raw like that." She blushed as she spoke. It was the first time that she'd told anyone other than her master that she wanted to gain the rank of master herself one day.

He nodded and smiled back. "Are you okay though? I mean you didn't get hit by the shot did you?" He asked as he looked at her arms.

She laughed softly as she shook her head letting her hair slip over her shoulders. "No, I'm fine, the wall might not be, but I'm alright." She wondered if Master Skywalker would be proud of her. "It was a trick I learned from my master." She sighed as she leaned against the wall. "Well I guess I'll just lock myself up in here for the rest of the trip. I mean I would really hate to have a run in with that guy again." She said softly.

Homicide looked at her and smiled. "If you hide away then you'll never live up to your goal of being a great Jedi master someday." He said as he watched her carefully.

She smiled a bit. "What do you know about Jedi?" She asked as she pushed off the wall and sat on the bunk that was her bed.

"A lot more than you might think I do." He said in a slightly cold voice. He smiled softly then. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be so cold to you. Look I'd better go and let you get on with your day. See you around Tahiri Veila." He waved then turned and walked out leaving her alone.

She pulled her legs up onto the bunk and crossed them, shutting her eyes she let herself fall into a meditative state. Images flashed before her eyes. Her and Anakin standing in the forests of Yavin 4 as the Yuuzhan Vong attacked all around them. Master Ikrit's death back on the forest moon. Her being separated from Anakin and captured by the Yuuzhan Vong. The endless hours of torture and pain that she endured at their hands as they tried to break her. When she wouldn't break they tried to shape her into one of them, erasing many of her memories and placing new ones it the empty areas. Anakin fighting the whole way to save her from them, him finding her standing side by side with them as he called her name. Her telling him that Tahiri Veila was dead and Riina Kwaad had taken her place. Him telling her that no matter what the Vong had done to her, she'd still be his best friend. His repeated claims of loving her as she turned dark on him, as Riina started to take hold of her more and more after the death of Mezhan Kwaad. Their rather narrow escape from the Vong after one of the once shamed ones gave them the chance. Their promise to go and fight together, then the mission to Myrkr and his death there. The blinding light that took him from her, or so she had thought.

She opened her eyes as more tears slipped down her already wet cheeks. She pulled her knees up to her chest resting her head on the tops of them and cried. Now she was a day out from the Heart, a day away from seeing him again. Her heart hurt so much right now. She had thought that he'd been dead this whole time. The whole time she'd been fighting this internal battle with herself to keep going and not to quit. She'd made sure that she lived on and kept fighting after his death, even thought she really hadn't wanted to. She sighed heavily as the tears kept falling, she was about to give up again when she'd found the holo on her desk back at the academy from Shada, then to see Anakin in the background. It had opened all the old wounds again. She sighed as she wiped her eyes as she stood up. She needed something to eat. Looking at the time she noticed that the day had passed while she relived the past. She sighed again as she reached the door and walked out, heading down the hall to the galley to grab something small to eat then head back to her room for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

She awoke the next morning and sighed. Today was the day that she'd reach the Heart. She sat up on the cot and looked around the room as she pulled her bag towards her. Pulling out a fresh jumpsuit she changed quickly then packed up the few things that she'd taken out of her bag while she was on the shuttle. She heard the first call come over the PA system as she packed. They would be at the Heart in a matter of minutes. She couldn't wait to get off. Opening her door she hurried down to the landing ramp making sure that she would be the first off this deathtrap.

As the shuttle landed and the ramp came down she ran off of it as she heard the other few passengers heading in her direction. Once a she hit the bottom of the ramp she looked around for Shada. Shada was standing with her twin brother and older sister and brother. They were all waving at her. She gave a small smile and headed towards them. She hugged Shada and Jaina and even smiled at Jacen. When it was Anakin's turn to see her she felt like she wanted to kiss him and hug him until the other girl showed up and he kissed her.

"Tahiri, this is my wife Tai Li." Anakin said in his soft voice.

She smiled, hiding the fact that her heart was broken now. "Nice to meet you..." She said softly as she looked at anyone else other than Anakin and his wife.

Jaina noticed the problem and smiled brightly. "Come on let me show you to your room so you can rest then Shada and I will pick you up for dinner later. How's that sound?"

Tahiri nodded since she didn't trust her voice very much.

Jaina and the others lead Tahiri to her room and then left her alone. Once in the room she locked the door behind them after they'd left and sighed. It was big...too big for her. There was a living area for guests and a kitchen with dinning room. Then a small hall with a large room that must be the sleeping area. A nice sized fresher and closet. She looked around and shook her head not sure if she needed all of this room.

"Wow how much room does one person need on here?" She asked out loud. She walked around and sighed as she tried to push thoughts of Anakin out of her mind and heart. "He left me for her..." A voice that wasn't her own said softly. "Shut up Raiina!" She cried as she force the other girl back into the depths of her mind. She sat on the couch in the living area and sighed as she lay down and shut her eyes.

Hours later she awoke as she heard the door chime going off. Standing up she rubbed her eyes and walked over to the door. "Hello?" She said as she opened it slowly. Jaina and Shada stood there smiling at her.

"Let's go silly." Jaina said by way of greeting.

Tahiri sighed. "Look I'm not feeling really good right now. Can we do this tomorrow?"

Shada looked at her and nodded. "Sure thing sweetness." Then they walked off saying that they would see her the next day.

Shutting the door tightly she sighed as she walked back to the couch and sat down. "So this is the Heart? This is where I will spend the rest of my life?" She smiled softly as she realized that she wasn't as upset as she'd been with Anakin earlier. "I think I'm going to like it here..." She said as she lay down and fell asleep again.

THE END!


End file.
